


Where My Partner Is

by hopeandfire



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Background Relationships, Crime Fighting, Crime Scenes, F/M, Long-Term Relationship(s), Multi, Slow Burn, White Collar Crime
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-01
Updated: 2016-09-07
Packaged: 2018-08-12 10:39:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7931500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hopeandfire/pseuds/hopeandfire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Garrus Vakarian had been expected to join Citadel Security in the same way most young turians are expected to serve in the military. It was his destiny, he'd heard his mother tell people, laid out before him by his father and his father's father and his own obvious desire to save people. There was no other choice, he'd learned, but it was never something he truly wanted. He joined to make everyone proud, but he stayed because what he learned with his team changed <i>everything</i> and home...home is where your partner is.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Leaving

**Author's Note:**

> This fic focuses on Garrus' time at C-Sec as a detective, the relationships he formed there, and how they continued on into ME1, 2, & 3\. As such, it'll be spanning from the year 2179 to about 2186. I plan on it being a rather long fic, so hopefully you'll all hang on for the while ride. I've been working on it, in the way of planning at least, for quite some time now and I finally decided it was time for me to buckle down and start writing again. I'll be working on this fic as well as Watercolored intermittently, so any pauses in writing this fic will be dedicated to my Inquisition fic. Hopefully you guys can bear with me! Enjoy!

“Now boarding: The MSV Capella. Destination: Citadel." The dull voice of the spaceport’s virtual intelligence announced, sounding as unamused as it always did. “Repeat. Now boarding: The MSV Capella. Destination: Citadel.” 

For all its lack of excitement, the announcement sparked a renewed sense of impatience in the surrounding area. Passengers scrambled to queue in front of the VI terminal, grasping for their carry on luggage tightly or fiddling with their omni-tools. Mothers struggled to call children into order while fathers watched the ordeal as uninterested as the mechanic voice that had started the trouble. Those traveling on their own whispered to other single passengers in an attempt to pass the time. The words were shallow and awkward, exactly what Garrus Vakarian had come to expect in a civilian spaceport. 

A sigh escaped him as he brushed his fingers across his face. How many more minutes could he wait before he risked missing his flight? How long before it was alright to board and tell her it was her fault for being late? His eyes swept the boarding area again, searching for an answer. No clocks. There were never any clocks. He pulled up the time.

_ Five minutes. You have five minutes, Sol.  _

His foot bounced as he looked from the time to the gate, waiting for his little sister. He’d arrived in Cipritine two weeks ago with news of his promotion to the Wards and in all that time, he’d only seen Solana twice. Each time had only been for an hour or two and it had been years since they’d last sat down and talked. Now, with his promotion, Garrus couldn't be sure when he’d get time to visit home again.

“Garrus!” 

Solana’s voice rang through the spaceport just as Garrus was rising to join the line. She ran clumsily towards her brother, slowed by a bag filled with unidentifiable technology.

“Garrus, don’t leave yet!” She run up to hug him and he responded on some sort of instinct, wrapping an arm around her. She fit well in his grasp, despite being roughly the same height as him, if a bit more slender. For a moment, Garrus lost himself in nostalgia, remembering the way they would nuzzle against each other until one of them fell asleep. There was no goofing off these days. They were adults with places to maintain in the meritocracy. 

Solana pulled away almost too soon, nose twitching, making the soft blue lines of her tattoos dance across it. It was a nervous habit, one that Garrus was almost positive no other turian had. “Don’t get shot by any shady criminals while you’re in the Wards, ok? They say it’s way more dangerous there. Not that I remember them much, Dad moved to the Presidium again when I was just seven...no, eight? Ten? Speaking of, tell him that I say hello and that he should stay safe too. Not drown and whatnot.” 

“I’ll do my best, Sol.” Garrus laughed softly, purposely ignoring every comment she’d made about their father. His relationship with his father would never be like the one that Solana had with him. He was trying to make the old turian proud, and for most that would’ve been good enough, but it wasn’t for Commander Vakarian. “Keep a good eye on mom, alright? And both of you ought to write me, I never hear from you anymore.” 

“You’re the one who never calls.” Solana scolded sharply, taking in such a sharp breath that Garrus thought for sure she was going to lash out and strike him. “I swear someday you’re gonna piss someone off with your systematic negle-” 

“Last call: MSV Capella. Repeat. Last call: MSV Capella. All passengers please board.” 

“-ct.” Solana finished, patting her brother on the shoulder, “Best go, Gar. You’ll be late for your first day.” 

“Thanks, Sol.” He gave her an affectionate glance and a nod of the head. It was the respectful thing to do in the situation. One public hug was more than enough. He stepped away, “I’ll call you when I get there.” 

“Alright. If you don’t I’m never speaking to you again.” 

“Don’t be drasti-” 

“You’re gonna be late, Garrus! Get  _ out  _ of here!" She pushed him, a little too hard, before gasping childishly. Her fingers plunged into her bag and pulled out a holographic picture frame that she pushed into his hands. "Here! This will hold like...a million pictures. So there’s already some of us on there and you can put pictures of your new friends on it too."

He nodded, unable to get words in before Solana shoved him again. With a wave, he watched the doors to the loading bay slip closed as his sister scurried away with more energy than he could ever wish to have. It was only after she was gone and he was safely situated in a set that he gave his attention to the small device. 

It was a pretty standard picture frame, designed to hold a nearly uncountable number of photographs, the kind of present you would give a nostalgic mother. As he clicked through the pictures that were already on it, he thought of the way his family had supported him before now. Solana and his mother had always been his biggest fans and his father… For now, the promotion would be enough. For now, it was satisfactory. But that would only take one mistake to ruin. One wrong step, one bad friend. 

He slipped the frame into the front of his bag, thoughts moving from the past to his future in the Wards. 

Hopefully his life was about to get more exciting.


	2. Transfer

“You’re on your way to talk to Executor Pallin, right? I bet you just called me because you’re bored. I suppose I can’t complain. You’re getting your permanent assignment today, right? Mom’s been absolutely giddy and I talked to dad earlier… He didn’t say anything specific, but I know that he’s super proud of you. He said you still haven’t visited, though. You really ought to, Garrus…” 

The sound of his sister’s voice echoed through Garrus’s ear, all but unheard. It was quiet on the Presidium, quieter than it usually was in any case, and empty. It felt as if all the people he’d spent herding in the last year had vanished and left nothing but an uneasy lonely feeling in their place. There had only been maybe ten civilians in the lobby at the front of headquarters and even fewer officers. From where he was sitting, he could see a park. Also empty. A shame. 

“Have you thought about what your new team will be like? You’ll be placed in a team, right? Like Dad? Detectives usually have partners, so you’ll have to have a partner. You’ll probably get a chance to work with more humans, too, don’t you think? I’ve spent so much time on Palaven, I’ve never really gotten to know a human. Do you think they’ll like you? If they don’t, let me know, I’ll…”

The last time he’d been on the Citadel with Solana blabbering in his ears was to visit his father before he started his customary military training at fifteen. The Presidium was nothing but a dream when he’d visited then, a forbidden place only his father was allowed to visit. Now, at twenty-three years old, he believed he knew everything there was to know about it. It’d been his home for year, after all. 

“Garrus, are you even  _ listening _ to me?”  

Solana yelled the words with such force, Garrus couldn’t stop himself from jumping a little. He looked around curiously, taking a second to remember she wasn’t there. “I’m sorry, Sol. I got distracted.” 

“Stop eyeballing asari and pay attention to your  _ sister _ .” 

“I’m not into asari-” 

“ _ Everyone’s  _ into asari, Garrus.” Garrus could hear the grin in his sister’s voice and the repressed laughter that followed. “How long have you been waiting anyway?” 

“I don’t know. An hour or so?” 

“An  _ hour _ ? Spirits, are they trying to test your patience?” 

“You only think that because you can’t sit still for more than five minutes at a time.”

Garrus grinned, listening as she fumbled for a clever comeback or something that would put him in his place. Over the sound of her mumbling, he heard shouting from the Executor’s office, a conversation turned argument, loud voices discussing things that likely didn’t pertain to him. Turning his head, he could hear the Executor’s voice as well as a...salarian and an...asari, he decided. It was impossible to tell what they were talking about aside from the loud “ _ Please, sir!”  _ that he’d just heard. 

“Garrus? Are you there?” 

“What is it, Solana?” He turned his attention back to his sister, picking up a worried tone in her voice. “What’s wrong?” 

“Promise you’ll still visit, alright? Don’t forget Mom and me while you’re out saving the world.” 

“I promise, sis. And I mean it this time-” 

The door across the hallway flew open and an asari came striding out, holding her head high and clutching a datapad to her ample chest. Her fair complexion and soft features gave her a delicate look, contrasted by the sharp golden markings that decorated her expressionless face. Citadel Security’s E-Crimes emblem glimmered brightly on the sleeve of her uniform and she spoke with a voice as cool and crisp as the winter wind. “Executor Pallin will see you now. I’m so sorry we’ve taken up so much of your time.”  

“I have to go, Sol. I’ll call tomorrow.” Garrus felt a pang of guilt, hanging up on Solana before she had the chance to say goodbye. Ignoring the fact that he’d probably just infuriated his sister, he forced his focus to the situation at hand. The asari before him met his gaze when he looked at her, but expressed no interest towards him and he knew - any attempt he made at idle conversation would be shut down before he even thought of the words. “C-Sec’s a waiting game up here, after all.” 

“Our meeting was supposed to be shorter. I must apologize on my partner’s behalf. He gets carried away when he’s passionate about things which is...often. We’ll be finished shortly, but the Executor asked me to invite you inside.” 

“Thank you?” It was more a question than a statement, dripping in unintended sarcasm. He could see tiny wrinkles form on her brow as he moved past her, greeted by the sight of a salarian pacing rapidly in front of the Executor. 

“I just need a few more days, sir. The recent arrest in Shalta is promising! Found a blue box…” The salarian seemed spastic, more than salarians usually were. His fingers moved frantically, matching his steps, like he was trying to calm himself. “I just need to pinpoint the creator’s location and we’ll be rid of another pest, sir. Then we can get to work on Councillor Tevos’s request and I swear we will give it all of our attention if you just let us finish…” 

What an incredibly familiar situation - to everyone in C-sec. The Executor expressed little interest in whatever it was that they were trying to convince him of, instead focusing his attention on some other detail that was beyond anyone in the room. His look was bored, unamused, bordering on exasperation, and his eyes moved from Garrus to his data pad at infrequent intervals. 

“Sir.” The asari spoke in a tone that demanded attention, stepping into the office again. “I can confirm what Eshas is telling you. If you give us just a little more time, we will have one of the most problematic A.I. manufactures on the Citadel in custody and files that point to everyone who has ordered his work. The sheer number of criminals we could catch with that information alone should be of enough value--” 

“The two of you are being rude.” Pallin droned, a smug look pulling at his face. “Introduce yourself to Mr.  _ Vakarian  _ here.” 

_ Shit. _

The asari spun on her heels, “ _ Vakarian _ ? Not related to Captain Vakarian from Bachjert are you? He’s a legend…” 

“Commander now, but the very same.” Pallin’s tone had changed, cunning now, close to a purring sound. “His son, in fact. Be polite and introduce yourselves.” 

“Detective Saaina Narosi, with E-Crimes. I specialize in interrogation and decryption.” Her voice was like silk, pulling her victim in before surely crushing them. She gave the Executor a look - a glance, really - while she spoke, as if she’d realized his intentions but was intent on playing the room. “The jumpy thing over there is my partner, Chaeren Eshas. He does everything you’d expect an E-Crimes officer to do. It’s a pleasure to meet the son of someone as renowned as  _ Commander  _ Vakarian. Your father’s name holds weight in C-Sec.” 

The statement almost made Garrus uncomfortable, like Narosi was accusing him of using his father to get promotions faster than an average C-Sec officer. “I’m aware, ma’am.” 

“Yes, yes. We’ve all made each other’s acquaintance.” Eshas’s voice was somewhat softer, as if Narosi’s had calmed him for just a moment, but there was still an unpleasant scowl on his face, like he’d been forced to eat something disgusting. “Sir, I don’t see what relevance this turian has to our current discussion.” 

“Introduce yourself properly, Vakarian.” Pallin continued, ignoring Eshas’s objection. 

“Gar-- Officer Garrus Vakarian. I’m here to receive information my transfer off the Presidium.” 

“As a detective,” Pallin added. He pretended to glance through some of the documents on his datapad, ignoring the confused trio before him. After a few moments of suspenseful silence, he grinned. “Transferring to Shalta.”  

“Shalta?” Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Eshas’s face light up. He must’ve figured out what was going on as well, leaving Garrus as the only person in the room who was left in the dark. “Why Shalta?” 

“We’re getting an extension on our investigation!” Eshas cried, practically dancing with excitement. 

“Yes,” Pallin seemed unimpressed with Eshas’ outburst, “Captain Viressan has agreed to take Vakarian here under his wing in exchange for an extension on your investigation. He spent quite some time convincing me that the capture of your AI maker will be beneficial to all involved, including myself and Mr. Vakarian here.”  

A total 180. Eshas bounced forward, grasping Garrus’s hand and shaking it with an unexpected strength. “Welcome to the team, Officer Vakarian! Your timing absolutely couldn’t have been better!” 

“See yourselves out  _ now _ , please.” Pallin flicked the screen of his desktop, “And try not to let your current detective duo tear their new friends into little bits, won’t you?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to let you know that these first two chapters have been really short because I broke them up into two parts rather than have them both together. I thought it flowed a little bit better to have things a bit more broken up than in huge chapters like I had initially planned. It also makes it a lot more manageable. Just a warning that the next chapter is _very_ large, at least double the size of these. Hopefully it's not too huge.


End file.
